Norris and Piastri have combined to win two of the last three F1 races for McLaren, while Verstappen hasn't won since the Spanish Grand Prix on June 23. While the team has said it wants Norris to dethrone Verstappen, Brown knows it is a longshot unless Norris can start sledgehammering-away large chunks of Verstappen's lead every race.

With Ferrari, Mercedes pushing hard, McLaren will still have to battle at a track where Red Bull is off the pace and Verstappen has never won.

Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen has been punished for swearing in a news conference in which he argued against greater restrictions on drivers swearing